Moving target trolley, moving target, and target range

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a target range and mechanisms for use on those target ranges. The mechanisms comprise a trolley for use in shooting ranges wherein the trolley is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwards along a track and including a target moving mechanism adapted, in use, to carry a target and to move the target from an operative shooting position to an inoperative shooting position and wherein the target moving mechanism is adapted to move the target such that in use, the width of the trolley and target across the direction of intended movement of the trolley when the target is in the inoperative shooting position is not substantially greater than the width of the trolley and target across the direction of intended movement of the trolley when the target is in the operative shooting position. Preferably the trolley has a target moving mechanism such that in use, the plane of the target extends parallel with the direction of intended movement of the trolley in both the operative and inoperative shooting positions. Preferably the trolley also has a target moving mechanism which is such as, in use, to move the target from the operative to inoperative shooting positions with the plane of the target swinging in a generally vertical plane extending in the direction of intended movement of the trolley. Alternatively the trolley has a target moving mechanism which is such that, in use, the plane of the target extends transverse to the direction of intended movement of the trolley in both the operative and inoperative shooting positions. The range has a trolley and a track along which the trolley is to move, said track being of a width only sufficiently wide to allow the trolley to pass and being of a depth which when the trolley is in the track the top of the trolley will be below the depth of the track the path further being such that, in use, the trolley and the target, when in the inoperative position, are out of sight of a shooter at a firing position and wherein the path over substantially its whole extent is also out of sight of the shooter at the firing position.

United States Patent [19] Knight [4 1 Feb. 11, 1975 1 1 MOVING TARGETTROLLEY, MOVING TARGET, AND TARGET RANGE [76] Inventor: Lindsay CharlesKnight, 677 Lyne Albury, New South Wales, Australia [22] Filed: Jan. 22,1973 21 1 Appl. No.: 325,560

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [58] Field of Search 273/1052,105.6;46/216; lO4/l47 A, 118-121 Primary ExaminerAnt0n O. OechsleAssistant ExaminerMarvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or FirmDonald D.Jeffery [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a target range and mechanismsfor use on those target ranges.

The mechanisms comprise a trolley for use in shooting ranges wherein thetrolley is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwardsalong a track and including a target moving mechanism adapted, in use,to carry a target and to move the target from an operative shootingposition to an inoperative shooting position and wherein the targetmoving mechanism is adapted to move the target such that in use, thewidth of the trolley and target across the direction of intendedmovement of the trolley when the target is in the inoperative shootingposition is not substantially greater than the width of the trolley andtarget across the direction of intended movement of the trolley when thetarget is in the operative shooting position.

Preferably the trolley has a target moving mechanism such that in use,the plane of the target extends parallel with the direction of intendedmovement of the trolley in both the operative and inoperative shootingpositions.

Preferably the trolley also has a target moving mechanism which is suchas, in use, to move the target from the operative to inoperativeshooting positions with the plane of the target swinging in a generallyvertical plane extending in the direction of intended movement of thetrolley.

Alternatively the trolley has a target moving mechanism which is suchthat, in use, the plane of the target extends transverse to thedirection of intended movement of the trolley in both the operative andinoperative shooting positions.

The range has a trolley and a track along which the trolley is to move,said track being of a width only sufficiently wide to allow the trolleyto pass and being of a depth which when the trolley is in the track thetop of the trolley will be below the depth of the track the path furtherbeing such that, in use, the trolley and the target, when in theinoperative position, are out of sight of a shooter at a firing positionand wherein the path over substantially its whole extent is also out ofsight of the shooter at the firing position.

32 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBI H915 3.865.373

SHEET 3 OF 7 TARGET MOTOR5 UP 1 MANUAL oc/ CONTROL V i DC RECEIVER I DUV V 1! A BRAKE 4 POSITION 5 0 LE N010 TRANSMITTER jt-Njok 06A Max/MIT)DC, V TROLLEY SENSORS TRAN5fE/VER LPos/r/orv M END OF TRACK TAKGETSENSOR oc/ CONT/m5 H/T5 PATENTED FEB] 1 I975 sum u UF 7 L'ILiJJI'LTLiLMW.

PATENTEDFEBI I I975 3,865,373

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PATENIED FEB] I I975 3.865.373 SHEET 6 OF 7 QF HFIHHHH1 CONSOLE /25 Jl5.

MOVING TARGET TROLLEY, MOVING TARGET, AND TARGET RANGE BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to equipment for target rangesand to target ranges including such equipment.

Broadly the equipment comprises a trolley, which preferably is radiocontrolled, for moving along a track on a target range and the trolleyhas a controllable target mechanism which is preferably a radiocontrolled target mechanism. The controllable target mechanism is of thetype which moves a target from an inoperative shooting position to anoperative shooting position.

The inoperative shooting position and operative shooting position aredefined respectively as wherein a target carried by the target mechanismis at least not substantially visible to a shooter and wherein a targetcarried by the target mechanism is visible to a shooter. Most preferablythe target mechanism has a hit call facility and a radio hit countfacility.

The width of the trolley and target mechanism and target are constructedand arranged to be substantially identical in the operative andinoperative shooting positions.

Broadly the range comprises a track along which the above trolley withthe controllable target mechanism is to move and wherein the track andtrolley and controllable target mechanism are in use out of sight of ashooter at a firing area on the range by being in a track of width onlysufficiently wide to allow the trolley to move and wherein targets aremade to move from the inoperative shooting position to the operativeshooting position by being signalled by the controllable means.

Therefore according to the invention there is provided a self propellingtrolley for use in shooting ranges wherein the trolley is constructedand arranged to be movable backwards and forwards along a track andincluding a target moving mechanism adapted, in use, to carry a targetand to move the target from an operative shooting position to aninoperative shooting position and wherein the target moving mechanism isadapted to move the target such that in use the width of the trolley andtarget across the direction of intended move ment of the trolley whenthe target is in the inoperative shooting position is not substantiallygreater than the width of the trolley and target across the direction ofintended movement of the trolley when the target is in the operativeshooting position.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided ashooting range including a trolley as defined above, a track along whichthe trolley is to move, said track being of a width only sufficientlywide to allow the trolley to pass and being of depth which when thetrolley is in the track the top of the trolley will be below the depthof the track the path further being such that in use, the trolley andthe target, when in the inoperative position, are out of sight of ashooter at a firing position and wherein the path over substantially itswhole extent is also out of sight of the shooter at the firing position.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Trolleys which carry target mechanisms formoving targets from an inoperative shooting position to an operative areknown. Such systems have, however, a very real disadvantage and this isparticularly so when the trolleys are used on an open range wherein thetargets,

apart from being fired at by weapons such as rifles, mortars andpistols, are fired at with large calibre projectiles such as those firedby tanks. The disadvantage is that in such ranges itis very difficult tocamouflage the track. Obviously it is a requirement that the track overits whole extent be camouflaged so that a trolley carrying a target inthe inoperative, position can sneak up" or move close to the shooter andthe target moved to the operative shooting position thereby simulating asurprise attack, without the shooter being able to anticipate where atarget is likely to appear. All systems known to date suffer from thatdisadvantage as in all known systems the targets have moved from theoperative position to the inoperative position by swinging across thedirection of intended movement of the trolley. Thus for a target whichstands 5 feet high i.e., a target representing a solider the width ofthe trolley, target mechanism and target in the inoperative position isgreater than 5 feet. This in turn meansthat the width of the track alongwhich the trolley moves must be at least equal to that width. In an openrange such track is easily visible even if considerable undergrowthsurrounds the track.

With the present invention because the width of the track is onlysufficiently wide to allow the trolley to pass, the track can be easilycamouflaged by undergrowth such as grass growing on both sides of thetrack or alternatively the trolley can move in a trench which is of thefractionally larger width than the track sufficient only to allow thetrolley to move therein.

Most importantly the cost of installing a range, according to thepresent invention, is less than for known ranges as the amount of earthrequired to be removed to provide the trench is far less and moreoverthe cost of removing that earth from the range is less than would be thecost of removing the earth required for a trench required where thetargets swing on the trolley across the direction of intended movementof the trolley as the width of the trench is much less but the depththereof is about the same.

Further with the trolleys according to the present invention a range canbe quickly set up by simply using a back hoe on a tractor to dig thetrench. This is in itself far less expensive than using other machineryfor digging the wider trenches for the known ranges.

Thus constructions of trolleys and target mechanisms specificallyexcluded from the invention are those which move targets from theinoperative to operative positions by swinging or otherwise moving thetarget across the direction of intended travel of the trolley.

One way in which the targets are moved from the inoperative to operativepositions and included in the invention is by swinging the target in theplane of the target in the direction of intended movement of thetrolley. This is particularly provided for when the trolley and plane ofthe target move generally perpendicular to the direction of firing.

Another way in which the targets are moved and included in the inventionis by swinging the targets, with the plane of the target extendingacross the direction of intended movement of the trolley, in thedirection of intended movement of the trolley. This is particularlyprovided for when the trolley and target are moving in a directiongenerally in line with the direction of firing and wherein the targetfaces the shooter and moves from the inoperative to operative positionsby swinging or otherwise moves forwardly or rearwardly.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to provide atrolley and target mechanism which in the inoperative and operativetarget positions have substantially the same width as the width of thetrolley and mechanism thereby permitting a range to be establishedwherein the track is only marginally larger in width than the width ofthe trolley and wherein a less visible track to the shooter is presentedthan hitherto known. It is a further object of the invention to providea target range which includes a trolley and target mechanism wherein thewidth thereof including a target carried by the trolley and mechanismhas a width in the inoperative position which is substantially the sameas in the operative position and is substantially equal to the width ofthe trolley and mechanism, and the width of the track therefore ismarginally larger than that width.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a sideview of a trolley on a rail;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the trolley shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a close up side view of a brake mechanism of the trolley;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a part cross section view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3 at oneparticular instant of operation;

FIG. 6 similar to that shown in FIG. 5 but at different instant ofoperation;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the trolley shown above wherein it is enteringa shelter shed at one end of a track;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an electrical battery charging contactmechanism on a trolley near one end of the track;

FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to that as shown in FIG. 8 at the one endof the track;

FIG. 10 is a plan view similar to that as shown in FIG. 8 at the otherend of the track;

FIG. I1 is an end view of the electrical bettery charging contactmechanism at one end of the track;

FIG. 12 is a block schematic diagram of the electronic part of theapparatus;

FIGS. 13 to 15 show schematic views of target ranges in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 16 shows a general perspective view ofa further target range asused to simulate jungle warfare in a battlefield.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2there is shown a trolley 1 on mono rails 3 in a track which is definedby a trench 5. The rails 3 are fabricated from tubular material and havean upper rail 7 and a lower rail 9 interconnected by spacing webs 11.The spacing webs 11 are equally spaced along the length of the rail fora purpose which will be explained later. The mono rail 3has a verticalside height greater than its width the diameter of the tubular material.As shown the depth of the trench 5 is sufficient so that the top of thetrolley l is below ground level in which the trench 5 is provided andthat the width of the trench 5 is only sufficiently wide to allow thetrolley l to move freely therealong. The rail 3 is supported in thetrench 5 on foundation means l3.

The trolley 1 is fabricated from. metal sheet and has two platforms 15at each end of the trolley and on one side of a central axis of thetrolley. The platforms 15 support target mechanisms 17 which are targetmechanisms of the type described in Australian Pat. No. 276,215. Thetarget mechanisms 17 in turn carry targets 19 and move the targets 19from an operative to inoperative position by radio control means. Theplane of the targets 19 is in line with direction of intended movementof the trolley 1 see FIG. 2 where the targets are in the operativeposition and the targets 19 are caused to swing in their plane in thedirection of intended movement of the trolley l see FIG. 7 where thetargets 19 are in the inoperative position.

The target mechanisms 17 are held in compartments 21 by means not shown.Night shoot devices 23 of the type also disclosed in Australian pat. No.276,2]5 are fitted on the top of compartments 21 and provided for nightshooting.

The trolley 1 is suspended on the track 3 by a pair of driven wheels 25and 27 which each engage the upper rail 7 see FIGS. 1 and 4 and aredriven by two two-speed electric motors 29 which are, in turn, poweredby a first battery source 31 shown dotted see FIG. 2.

The trolley is stabilized against lateral movement across the track bytwo pair ofjockey wheels 33 which engage the sides of the lower rail 9at each end of the trolley 1.

The trolley has a disc brake mechanism 35 shown dotted in FIG. 1 shownin detail in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The brake mechanism 35 has a disc 37integral with the drive shaft of motor 29. On each side of disc 37 thereis a boomerang shaped plate 39 and 41 respectively. Both plates 39 and41 are supported at their free ends to an inner part 43 of the trolleyby means of holding means 45. Disc brake pads 47 are fitted on each ofthe plates 39 and 41 at positions to clamp the disc 37 therebetween as aresult of braking spring pressure applied to each of the plates 39 and41 by a pair of springs 49.

The brake is released by operation of electric solenoid SI, the plunger53 of which pushes the two plates 39 and 41 apart when voltage isapplied to the solenoid 51. Manual release of the brake mechanism issometimes required when the trolley is stationary on the track and thisis effected by operation of a manual release lever 55. Lever 55 whenoperated by angular rotation causes a shaft 57 attached thereto andmounted in journals 59 to rotate to, in turn, cause a lever 61 integralwith shaft 57 to swing to, in turn, cause an operating member 63 pivotedthereto to move downwardly.

The operating member 63 has a ramp surface defined by an inclined slot65 and a cam surface 67. A pin member 69 on plate 41 is located in theslot 65. Downward movement of operating member 63 causes the operatingmember 63 to move sideways so that the cam surface 67 engages a surfaceof a projection 71 of plate 39 and applies pressure between pin 69 andthat surface to cause plates 39 and 41 to move apart thus releasing thebrake mechanism from braking spring 73 which ensures that the operatingmember 63 returns to the position shown in FIG. 5 when the lever 55 isreleased.

The trolley has a manual control panel (not shown on one side thereof)for controlling various operation functions of the trolley and targetmechanisms l7. The

electronic circuitry for controlling the trolley and the mechanism hasnot been shown but is carriedrespectively in the trolley and in thetarget mechanisms 17 and are each powered by a second battery source 75.

The trolley also has direction reversing switch means therein whichinduces magnetically operable reed switch 77.

The reed switch 77 is made operable by a length of magnetic material 79placed at suitable positions along the length of the track. Suchpositions are preferably at each end of the track See FIG. 7 but may beat any desired location. When the reed switch 77 operates connection ismade to the motors 29 to reverse the direction of rotation and hence thedirection of movement of the trolley 1.

The trolley also has proximity sensing means at each end thereof whichreverse the direction of drive of each of the motors and the directionof movement of the trolley. The proximity sensing means includes aninfra red transmitter 81 and receiver 83 see FIG. 2 which is constructedand arranged so that when the receiver 83 receives an infra red lightsignal from either another transmitter 81 or another trolley or from areflection of the infra red light transmitted by the transmitter 81 onthe trolley and reflected back from a reflector.

The transmitter 81 consists of a light emitting diode which is triggeredby an output from a pulse generator which transmits pulses of wasduration at a repetition frequency of 1,200.

The receiver 83 comprises a photo-transistor, sensitive to emissions inthe infra red wave band which is coupled to a differential amplifier.

The level of the amplifier is adjustable, thus effectively varying thesensitivity of the receiver 83. This provides a means of controlling thesensing distance between trolleys. The output of the receiver 83 is accoupled to a switching stage which is controlled by feedback from theprogrammed directions of the motors.

The proximity sensing means is provided for a purpose which will beexplained later.

The trolley carries electrical contact means 85, (FIG. 7), shown indetail in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, which swing from an inoperative contactposition to an operative contact position where they engage bus bars 87at one end or both ends of the track and provide contact means wherebyelectrical energy can be applied to each of the first and second batterysources to recharge those sources.

The electrical contact means 85 has three electrical contacts 89 mountedat an end of swingable arm 91 which is pivoted about pivot 93.

The arm 91 is caused to swing so that the contacts 89 engage the busbars 87 by means of an operating arm 95 with a jockey wheel 97 engagingan abutment rail 99 adjacent the bus bars 87. When the operating arm 95swings, in either direction consequent on which direction the trolley 1approaches the bus bars 87, it swings about a fixed pivot 101 and movesa link 103 pivoted thereto which, in turn, moves a lever 105 which ispivoted about a fixed pivot 107 to cause a wheel 109 to engage with thearm 91 to cause it to swing and the contacts to engage bus bars 87.

The central bus bar is common for both battery sources whilst the upperand lower bus bars carry voltage respectively for the first batterysource and the sec- 0nd battery source and each has its own controlcircuitry for controlling the charging of each battery source and forinhibiting overcharging.

In a modification, not shown, the operating arm is movabledownwardlyagainst spring bias when desired so that it does not engagewith the abutment rail 99 and thus the contacts 89 do not contact thebus bars 87. This is particularly provided for when the trolleys aremanually pushed to a shelter shed at the end of the track and should thetrolleys should pass past the abutment rail 99 at one end of the track.

The trolley 1 has position sensing means for enabling the position ofthe trolley along the track to be determined. The position sensing meansis indicated generally by 110 see FIG. 2 and comprises a reed switchwhich is operable to provide an electrical signal consequent on thetrolley passing a track spacing member 11. Thus as the track spacingmembers 11 are spaced at known equal intervals along the rail 3 it ispossible by counting the electrical signals provided by the reed switchto determine where the trolley is along the track. When the direction ofmovement of the trolley reverses, a logic system of the electroniccircuitry is altered so that each signal then provided is subtracted sothat no matter which direction the trolley moves along the track itsposition can be determined.

Photoelectric position sensing means may be provided as an alternativeto the reed switch means. If desired such photoelectric position sensingmeans may be responsive to a photoelectric beam therein which is cut byspokes in the drive wheels 25 or 27.

By inspecting FIG. 1 it will be realized that the track can be manuallypicked up out of the trench and set up in another trench. Hence by usingthe above trolleys with the mono rails it is relatively easy to changethe track layout of a range, as for example from one time of shooting tothe next, to thus provide a variety of simulated battlefields on the onerange from one time of shooting to the other. This is particularly so asthe manual effort for digging new trenches in which the trolleys move,or cutting grass or like undergrowth where the track is to be is muchless than in known ranges where the targets on the trolleys swing acrossthe direction of intended movement of the trolleys.

The ranges as shown in FIG. l3.to 16 will now be described before theblock schematic diagram as shown in FIG. 12 is referred to so that anappreciation of the practical manoeuvres the trolley can simulate can berealized. This should make the understanding of the block schematicdiagram more simple.

In FIG. 13 the range shown has a track 121 along which several trolleys1 are arranged to move. The track is defined by a trench and has a monorail 123 therein on which the trolleys as previously described areplaced.

The range has a number of lanes 124 and has two firing positions shownby circles at 125 and 127 respectively.

Behind the track 121 is a mound 129 into which bullets fired on therange theoretically settle.

In use the trolleys are set moving in the track with the targets beingin either the operative or inoperative shooting positions. Peopleshooting should only shoot at targets appearing in their respectivelanes and because the targets are made to scatter by moving backwardsand forwards along the track by reason of the proximity sensing means orthe direction reversing reed switch 77 or by radio control means thetargets represent dodging and/or appearing and disappearing targets.

A controller of the range has a transceiver which is constructed andarranged to provide instructions to the trolleys to move them one way orthe other along the track or to move the target or targets carriedthereby from the inoperative position to the operative position and viceversa. The transceiver also has controlling means to provideinstructions to the targets to remain in the operative shooting positionwhen hit or to move when hit to the inoperative position. Additionallythe transceiver is provided with a radio hit count facility for eachtarget.

A shelter shed 128 for the trolleys is provided at one end (or bothends) of the track 123 for the trolleys, after shooting, and thebatteries in the trolleys are recharged as previously described when inthe shelter sheds.

The range shown in FIG. 14 is similar to that as in FIG. 13, the controlfunctions of a transceiver operated. by a controller of the range beingidentical. Here the difference is in that instead of their being onlyone track along which the trolleys move there are several placed inclose proximity to each other the minimum distance between each beingdetermined only by the width dimensions of the trolley.

The range shown in FIG. 15 has a plurality of two sets of tracks 123extending generally towards a shooter generally in the direction ofintended shooting and wherein the tracks each carry a target which facesthe shooter and which moves a target to the operative shooting positionand the inoperative shooting position by swinging the target eitherforwardly or rearwardly of the direction of intended movement of thetrolley. The control console is the transceiver as described in theprevious ranges. On a control signal being given the trolleys move andsimulate a dodging target advancing or retreating. Preferably protectivemounds 124 are placed in front of each of the sets of tracks to protectthe trolleys from bullets when the trolleys are in a position movingdirectly in line with direction of shooting.

FIG. 16 shows how a simulated military battlefield can be prepared. Thetrolleys each are controlled by the transceiver or transmitter aspreviously described and by the operator or controller of the range.Obviously the tracks along which the trolleys move will be substantiallynon-visible as discussed before, but for the purposes of this patentspecification the tracks are shown.

Referring now to the block schematic diagram of FIG. 12 each componentis clearly marked and the concept of operation should be readilyunderstood from that diagram, however, a brief explanation will follow:

The transceiver is the transceiver as used by the controller of therange and has multi-channel facilities for controlling each of thevarious functions and displays.

The receiver and transmitter are mounted in the trolley. The receiver ispowered by one of the battery sources and the motors are supplied by theother battery source.

On signals being received either from a manual control or from thetransceiver or from a transmitter (not shown) to start the trolleymoving the brake solenoid is energised releasing the trolley brake andthe motor drives the trolley. The end of track sensors, reed switch 77,or the proximity sensors have control over the motor to reversedirection of drive.

When the target is hit, hit signals are sent via the transmitter to thetransceiver for indicating the number of target hits. The positionsensor is also connected with the transmitter to provide signals to thetransceiver to give an indication of the position of the trolley on thetrack.

In a modification of the trolley described above it may be driven byelectric motors powered by a trailing cable. Alternatively the motorsmay be petrol motors with extra quiet silencers so that the noise of themotors will not be able to be detected by shooters thus giving a generalindication of where the trolley and the targets thereon may appear.

In a modification of the ranges described above the transceiver may becontrolled from a tape or similar recording media on which programs foreach of the trolleys and targets have been recorded.

What is claimed is:

1. A self propelling trolley for use in shooting ranges wherein thetrolley is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwardsalong a track, means carried by said trolley for propelling the samealong said track, a target moving mechanism mounted on said trolley, atarget mounted for movement on said target moving mechanism, means foractuating said target moving mechanism for moving said target from anoperative shooting position wherein said target is exposed to aninoperative shooting position wherein said target is not exposed, saidtarget being constructed and arranged on said target moving mechanism sothat the width of the trolley and target across the direction ofintended movement of the trolley when the target is in the inoperativeshooting position is not substantially greater than the width of thetrolley and target across the direction of intended movement of thetrolley when the target is in the operative shooting position, andwherein the position of mounting the target on the trolley is such thatwhen the target is in its inoperative position the height of the trolleyand target is substantially the same as the height of only the trolley,and wherein in the operative position the height of the trolley andtarget is greater than the height of only the trolley.

2. The trolley of claim 1 wherein the target moving mechanism is suchas, in use, to move the target from the operative to inoperativeshooting positions with the plane of the target swinging in a generallyvertical plane extending in the direction of intended movement of thetrolley.

3. The trolley of claim 1 wherein the target moving mechanism is suchthat, in use, the plane of the target extends transverse to thedirection of intended movement of the trolley in both the operative andinoperative shooting positions.

4. The trolley of claim 1 wherein a target moving mechanism is mountedat each end of the trolley each for moving such a target as aforesaid.

5. The trolley of claim 1 wherein the track on which the trolley is tobe used has a mono railway track therein which has a height greater thanits width and wherein the trolley is such that, in use, it issubstantially centrally located over the track with the top of therailway track being closer to the top of the trolley than to the bottomand wherein the trolley is provided with motor means and supportingwheels adapted to engage the upper surface of the railway track tosuspend the trolley on the railway track; one of the supporting wheelsbeing operatively connected with the motor means for propelling thetrolley.

6. Thetrolley of claim wherein the trolley isprovided with at least twostabilizing jockey wheels which engage, in use, opposite sides of alower part of the railway track.

7. The trolley of claim 5 wherein the trolley is provided with a brakingmechanism for braking movement of the trolley.

8. The trolley of claim 7 wherein said braking mechanism is a disc brakemechanism integral with one of the supporting wheels, a brake releasemechanism, and spring biasing means for braking said disc brakemechanism when said brake release mechanism is inoperative.

9. The trolley of claim 7 wherein the brake release mechanism includesan electrical solenoid brake release mechanism and a manual brakerelease mechanism.

10. The trolley of claim 5 wherein another of the supporting wheels isoperatively connected with another motor means and both motor meansinclude electric motors.

11. The trolley of claim 10 wherein both motor means are constructed andarranged to operate at different speeds for propelling the trolley atdifferent speeds as selected.

12. The trolley of claim 10 wherein electric power for said motor meansis obtained from rechargeable battery means carried by the trolley.

13. The trolley of claim 12 further including electrical contact meanson the trolley which is engageable, in use, with bus bar means adjacentthe track thereof for supplying current for recharging the batterymeans.

14. The-trolley of claim 13 wherein the electrical contact means ismounted on the trolley to swing about a pivot and is operativelyconnected with an operating member so that, in use, when the operatingmember engages an obstruction member adjacent the bus bar means theelectrical contact means are caused to swing as aforesaid to contact thebus bar means.

15. The trolley of claim 14 wherein said operating member is movableagainst spring bias so as to not engage the obstruction member when somoved and to thereby prevent the electrical contact means fromcontacting the bus bar means.

16. The trolley of claim 13 wherein there are three electrical contactsincluded in the contact means and there are three bus bars included inthe bus bar means, one of the bus bars being common and the other two,in use, being at a battery charging potential constructed anad arrangedto independently charge each of the battery means.

17. The trolley of claim 1 wherein there is provided reversing means onthe trolley operable to reverse direction of movement of the trolleywhen the trolley is at an end of the track.

18. The trolley of claim 17 wherein the reversing means includes amagnetically operable switch which is made operative by magnetic circuitmeans at the end of the track which when operated, in use, causesreversal of direction of movement of the trolley.

19. The trolley of claim 1 further including proximity sensing means onthe trolley for sensing the proximity of another trolley on the trackand for causing the trolley to, in use, reverse direction when saidanother trolley is within a predetermined range.

20. The trolley of claim 19 wherein the proximity sensing meanscomprises a light receiving transducer constructed and arranged suchthat when light is received thereby which is projected from a lighttransmitter and, in use, the transducer output consequent thereon isabove a predetermined value the trolley is caused to reverse itsdirection of travel.

21. The trolley of claim 20 wherein the light receiving transducer isresponsive only to pulsed light transmitted from the light transmitter,thereby inhibiting operation by continuous light falling on the lightreceiving transducer.

22. The trolley of claim 1 further including trolley position sensingmeans constructed and arranged to provide an indication of the positionof the trolley along the track.

23. The trolley of claim 22 wherein said trolley position sensing meansincludes a sensor constructed and arranged to, in use, provide'anelectrical signal, and a transmitter constructed and arranged, in use,to transmit an electrical signal to a remote receiver capable ofproviding information as to the position of said trolley along thetrack.

24. The trolley of claim 23 wherein the position sensing means, in use,provides an electrical signal pulse as the trolley moves over a givenlength of track and the position of the trolley is determined byarranging the electrical signal pulses so generated to provide a displayrepresentative of each given length of track.

25. The trolley of claim 24 wherein said electrical signal pulses aregenerated at the trolley by photoelectric means.

26. The trolley of claim 24 wherein said electrical signal pulses aregenerated by magnetically operable reed switches. 1

27. The trolley of claim 22 wherein said track has an upper rail partand a lower rail part connected by equally spaced apart spacing webs andwherein the position sensing means is, in use, responsive to count thespacing webs passed by the trolley thus giving an indication of theposition of the trolley on the track.

28. The combination of claim 1 wherein said track is of a width onlysufficiently wide to allow the trolley to pass and is of a depth whichwhen the trolley is in the track the top of the trolley will be belowthe depth of the track, the path of the track further being such that,in use, the trolley and the target, when in the inoperative position,are out of sight of a shooter at a firing position and wherein the pathover substantially its whole extent is also out of sight of the shooterat the firing position.

29. The combination of claim 28 wherein movement of the trolley is radiocontrolled by a transceiver which in use is operated by an operator ofthe range.

30. The combination of claim 29 further including night shooting meanson the trolley operable by said transceiver.

31. The combination of claim 28 wherein there is a shelter shed at aposition along the track in which the trolley can be stored.

32. A self propelled device for use in shooting ranges wherein saiddevice is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwardsalong a track, means carried by said devicefor propelling the same alongsaid track a target moving mechanism mounted on said device, a targetmounted on said target moving mechanism, means for actuating said targetmounting mechanism for moving said target from an operative shootingposition wherein said target is exposed to an inoperative shootingposition wherein said target is not exposed, said target beingconstructed and arranged on said target moving mechanism so that thewidth of the device and target across the direction of intended movementof the device when the target is in the inopa predetermined range.

1. A self propelling trolley for use in shooting ranges wherein thetrolley is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwardsalong a track, means carried by said trolley for propelling the samealong said track, a target moving mechanism mounted on said trolley, atarget mounted for movement on said target moving mechanism, means foractuating said target moving mechanism for moving said target from anoperative shooting position wherein said target is exposed to aninoperative shooting position wherein said target is not exposed, saidtarget being constructed and arranged on said target moving mechanism sothat the width of the trolley and target across the direction ofintended movement of the trolley when the target is in the inoperativeshooting position is not substantially greater than the width of thetrolley and target across the direction of intended movement of thetrolley when the target is in the operative shooting position, andwherein the position of mounting the target on the trolley is such thatwhen the target is in its inoperative position the height of the trolleyand target is substantially the same as the height of only the trolley,and wherein in the operative position the height of the trolley andtarget is greater than the height of only the trolley.
 2. The trolley ofclaim 1 wherein the target moving mechanism is such as, in use, to movethe target from the operative to inoperative shooting positions with theplane of the target swinging in a generally vertical plane extending inthe direction of intended movement of the trolley.
 3. The trolley ofclaim 1 wherein the target moving mechanism is such that, in use, theplane of the target extends transverse to the direction of intendedmovement of the trolley in both the operative and inoperative shootingpositions.
 4. The trolley of claim 1 wherein a target moving mechanismis mounted at each end of the trolley each for moving such a target asaforesaid.
 5. The trolley of claim 1 wherein the track on which thetrolley is to be used has a mono railway track therein which has aheight greater than its width and wherein the trolley is such that, inuse, it is substantially centrally located over the track with the topof the railway track being closer to the top of the trolley than to thebottom and wherein the trolley is provided with motor means andsupporting wheels adapted to engage the upper surface of the railwaytrack to suspend the trolley on the railway track; one of the supportingwheels being operatively connected with the motor means for propellingthe trolley.
 6. The trolley of claim 5 wherein the trolley is providedwith at least two stabilizing jockey wheels which engage, in use,opposite sides of a lower part of the railway track.
 7. The trolley ofclaim 5 wherein the trolley is provided with a braking mechanism forbraking movement of the trolley.
 8. The trolley of claim 7 wherein saidbraking mechanism is a disc brake mechanism integral with one of thesupporting wheels, a brake release mechanism, and spring biasing meansfor braking said disc brake mechanism when said brake release mechanismis inoperative.
 9. The trolley of claim 7 wherein the brake releasemechanism includes an electrical solenoid brake release mechanism and amanual brake release mechanism.
 10. The trolley of claim 5 whereinanother of the supporting wheels is operatively connected with anothermotor means and both motor means include electric motors.
 11. Thetrolley of claim 10 wherein both motor means are constructed andarranged to operate at different speeds for propelling the trolley atdifferent speeds as selected.
 12. The trolley of claim 10 whereinelectric power for said motor means is obtained from rechargeablebattery means carried by the trolley.
 13. The trolley of claim 12further including electrical contact means on the trolley which isengageable, in use, with bus bar means adjacent the track thereof forsupplying current for recharging the battery means.
 14. The trolley ofclaim 13 wherein the electrical contact means is mounted on the trolleyto swing about a pivot and is operatively connected with an operatingmember so that, in use, when the operating member engages an obstructionmember adjacent the bus bar means the electrical contact means arecaused to swing as aforesaid to contact the bus bar means.
 15. Thetrolley of claim 14 wherein said operating member is movable againstspring bias so as to not engage the obstructIon member when so moved andto thereby prevent the electrical contact means from contacting the busbar means.
 16. The trolley of claim 13 wherein there are threeelectrical contacts included in the contact means and there are threebus bars included in the bus bar means, one of the bus bars being commonand the other two, in use, being at a battery charging potentialconstructed anad arranged to independently charge each of the batterymeans.
 17. The trolley of claim 1 wherein there is provided reversingmeans on the trolley operable to reverse direction of movement of thetrolley when the trolley is at an end of the track.
 18. The trolley ofclaim 17 wherein the reversing means includes a magnetically operableswitch which is made operative by magnetic circuit means at the end ofthe track which when operated, in use, causes reversal of direction ofmovement of the trolley.
 19. The trolley of claim 1 further includingproximity sensing means on the trolley for sensing the proximity ofanother trolley on the track and for causing the trolley to, in use,reverse direction when said another trolley is within a predeterminedrange.
 20. The trolley of claim 19 wherein the proximity sensing meanscomprises a light receiving transducer constructed and arranged suchthat when light is received thereby which is projected from a lighttransmitter and, in use, the transducer output consequent thereon isabove a predetermined value the trolley is caused to reverse itsdirection of travel.
 21. The trolley of claim 20 wherein the lightreceiving transducer is responsive only to pulsed light transmitted fromthe light transmitter, thereby inhibiting operation by continuous lightfalling on the light receiving transducer.
 22. The trolley of claim 1further including trolley position sensing means constructed andarranged to provide an indication of the position of the trolley alongthe track.
 23. The trolley of claim 22 wherein said trolley positionsensing means includes a sensor constructed and arranged to, in use,provide an electrical signal, and a transmitter constructed andarranged, in use, to transmit an electrical signal to a remote receivercapable of providing information as to the position of said trolleyalong the track.
 24. The trolley of claim 23 wherein the positionsensing means, in use, provides an electrical signal pulse as thetrolley moves over a given length of track and the position of thetrolley is determined by arranging the electrical signal pulses sogenerated to provide a display representative of each given length oftrack.
 25. The trolley of claim 24 wherein said electrical signal pulsesare generated at the trolley by photoelectric means.
 26. The trolley ofclaim 24 wherein said electrical signal pulses are generated bymagnetically operable reed switches.
 27. The trolley of claim 22 whereinsaid track has an upper rail part and a lower rail part connected byequally spaced apart spacing webs and wherein the position sensing meansis, in use, responsive to count the spacing webs passed by the trolleythus giving an indication of the position of the trolley on the track.28. The combination of claim 1 wherein said track is of a width onlysufficiently wide to allow the trolley to pass and is of a depth whichwhen the trolley is in the track the top of the trolley will be belowthe depth of the track, the path of the track further being such that,in use, the trolley and the target, when in the inoperative position,are out of sight of a shooter at a firing position and wherein the pathover substantially its whole extent is also out of sight of the shooterat the firing position.
 29. The combination of claim 28 wherein movementof the trolley is radio controlled by a transceiver which in use isoperated by an operator of the range.
 30. The combination of claim 29further including night shooting means on the trolley operable by saidtransceiver.
 31. The combination of claim 28 wherein there is a sheltershed at a posItion along the track in which the trolley can be stored.32. A self propelled device for use in shooting ranges wherein saiddevice is constructed and arranged to be movable backwards and forwardsalong a track, means carried by said device for propelling the samealong said track, a target moving mechanism mounted on said device, atarget mounted on said target moving mechanism, means for actuating saidtarget mounting mechanism for moving said target from an operativeshooting position wherein said target is exposed to an inoperativeshooting position wherein said target is not exposed, said target beingconstructed and arranged on said target moving mechanism so that thewidth of the device and target across the direction of intended movementof the device when the target is in the inoperative shooting position isnot substantially greater than the width of the device and target acrossthe direction of intended movement of the device when the target is inthe operative shooting position, and proximity sensing means on saiddevice for sensing the proximity of another device on the track and forcausing said device to reverse direction when another device is within apredetermined range.